[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 48 (Tuesday, March 25, 2003)]
[Senate]
[Page S4382]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                         SUBMITTED RESOLUTIONS

                                 ______
                                 

SENATE RESOLUTION 97--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE REGARDING THE 
      ARRESTS OF CUBAN DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS BY THE CUBAN GOVERNMENT

  Mr. NELSON of Florida (for himself and Mr. Allen) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations.

                               S. Res. 97

       Whereas on March 18, 2003, Fidel Castro and the Government 
     of Cuba began an island-wide campaign to arrest and jail 
     dozens of prominent democracy activists and critics of the 
     repressive regime;
       Whereas since March 18, 2003, the Cuban police have 
     arrested more than 100 Cubans for engaging in free speech 
     under Law 88, the Law for the Protection of National 
     Independence and the Economy of Cuba, which is a notorious 
     law passed 3 years ago by the communist county;
       Whereas the imprisoned political opponents of Castro 
     include librarians, journalists, and others who have 
     supported the Varela Project, which seeks to bring free 
     speech, open elections, and democracy to the island nation;
       Whereas Fidel Castro has seized the opportunity to expand 
     his brutal oppression of the Cuban people while the attention 
     of the United States and other nations around the world is 
     focused on the war in Iraq; and
       Whereas the failure to condemn the Cuban Government's 
     renewed political repression of democracy activists will 
     undermine the opportunity for freedom on the island: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns the recent arrests and other intimidation 
     tactics against democracy activists by the Castro regime;
       (2) calls on the Cuban Government to immediately release 
     those imprisoned and held during this most recent crackdown 
     for activities the government wrongly deems ``subversive, 
     counter-revolutionary, and provocative'';
       (3) reaffirms Senate Resolution 272, 107th Congress, agreed 
     to June 10, 2002, which was agreed to without opposition and 
     which called for, among other things, amnesty for all 
     political prisoners;
       (4) praises the bravery of those Cubans who, because they 
     practiced free speech and signed the Varela Project petition, 
     have been targeted in this most recent government crackdown; 
     and
       (5) urges the President to demand the immediate release of 
     these prisoners and to take all appropriate steps to secure 
     their immediate release.
                                 ______
                                 

   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 29--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS 
    REGARDING SEMICONDUCTOR TRADE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND THE 
   REPUBLIC OF KOREA AND THE NEED TO ASSURE THAT UNITED STATES TRADE 
  ACTIONS DO NOT RESULT IN GEOPOLITICAL TENSIONS OR UNITED STATES JOB 
                                 LOSSES

  Mr. SMITH (for himself and Mr. Wyden) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Finance:

                            S. Con. Res. 29

       Whereas the Republic of Korea is a vital ally of the United 
     States in Asia;
       Whereas the current tensions on the Korean Peninsula 
     require the strongest possible alliance between the United 
     States and the Republic of Korea;
       Whereas Hynix Semiconductor Inc. is a major Korean and 
     global semiconductor manufacturer;
       Whereas Hynix Semiconductor Inc. has invested over 
     $1,000,000,000 in its facilities in Eugene, Oregon, and is 
     increasing that investment;
       Whereas Hynix Semiconductor Inc. employs over 1,000 highly 
     skilled and compensated Americans at its facilities in 
     Eugene, Oregon;
       Whereas these jobs are particularly valuable to Oregon and 
     the United States economy at a time of economic uncertainty;
       Whereas semiconductor trade between the United States and 
     the Republic of Korea is currently the subject of trade 
     remedy proceedings and continuing review by the United States 
     Trade Representative;
       Whereas the Republic of Korea has, as a result of the 
     currency crisis in the mid-1990s, implemented economic 
     reforms;
       Whereas as a result of those reforms the Government of 
     South Korea is no longer involved in commercial lending 
     decisions; and
       Whereas the Government of South Korea has affirmed that it 
     has had no role in the economic restructurings of Hynix 
     Semiconductor Inc.: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that--
       (1) the United States Government should act carefully and 
     judiciously with regard to issues involving semiconductor 
     trade between the United States and the Republic of Korea to 
     assure that trade disputes do not create geopolitical or 
     economic tensions between the United States and the Republic 
     of Korea, and do not result in the loss of highly skilled 
     American jobs, including jobs at United States facilities of 
     Korean semiconductor manufacturers;
       (2) the Secretary of Commerce should review carefully and 
     objectively all the facts surrounding the financial 
     restructuring of Hynix Semiconductor Inc. in light of 
     economic reforms which have taken place in South Korea in 
     recent years, and avoid taking any action which will threaten 
     the jobs of American workers in the semiconductor industry or 
     threaten future investment in Hynix Semiconductor Inc.'s 
     facility in Eugene, Oregon; and
       (3) the United States Trade Representative should seek to 
     address issues involving semiconductor trade between the 
     United States and the Republic of Korea through consultation 
     after full review of the facts.

                          ____________________